Catholic marriage after civil divorce

[clivejones]

I am in search of some advice, My current partner is Catholic and we are looking to get married in the not to distance further.

However I have been married before which was a civil wedding to a non-Catholic and I found out this week that we can not have a Catholic Wedding unless I have the original marriage anulled, is this correct?

If so, which from what I have been reading is the case. what are the grounds for a priest to anull a previous marriage?

thanks in advance of any advice.

Clive

[Buenchico]

I assume from your post that you're not a Catholic. (If you were, or your ex-wife was, and your civil wedding ceremony was not later celebrated in a Catholic church, you'd not need to apply for annulment, since the Catholic church wouldn't recognise your first marriage). If so, you need to apply for annulment (unless your ex-wife had previously been married).

I think I've got that right, but I'll let you read the rules for yourself:
http://www.catholic-ew.org.uk/ccb/catholic_chu rch/how_do_i/marry_in_a_catholic_church_if_i_v e_been_married_before

If annulment is required it has to be granted by a Marriage Tribunal (not by an individual priest). The test is that the applicant must show that "what appeared to be a true marriage was, in fact, only the appearance of one; it lacked one or more necessary conditions for a true marriage".

See here for further information:
http://www.everybodyswelcome.org.uk/docs/NBCW% 20Annulment%20Doc.pdf

Chris

[Octavius]

�. and I found out this week that we can not have a Catholic Wedding unless I have the original marriage anulled, is this correct?...

Who told you this? How did you find out?

[tamborine]

In the eyes of the catholic faith you are not married unless you wed in a catholic church - so you should be okay to marry in an RC church.

With the service in the RC church comes the civil registry ceremony, that also needs to be booked for the ceremony.

[naomi24]

^^ I think the first paragraph is debatable.

To be deemed legal, all marriages require the presence of a registrar - and in a church the priest is usually empowered to act as registrar Perhaps you should speak to the priest. He'll tell you exactly where you stand.

[Octavius]

Tamborine�s first paragraph is part right, and the second one is spot on.

In the UK it is only really the CofE where the Vicar has the legal capacity to act as Registrar, although more often they do have an independent dedicated registrar anyway. In the RC church, the priest would bring in an external Registrar.

The RC church would need to determine whether the first marriage was valid, but as it wasn�t carried out in a RC an annulment is unlikely, but you may have to meet certain requirements attend a few meetings to get married there.

Just talk to your priest and get the details and requirements directly from them, they are the ones that would know what they would do and if they say you can get married, bingo, if not then you have some informed choices to make.

[clivejones]

Hi all,

Thank you for your comments and help. If understand Buenchico and the catholic website correctly, my previous marriage was valid in the eyes of the Catholic Church because we were both non-Catholics. If so I require it would need to be annulled by the Catholic church marriage annullment center.

However Octavius and tamborine you think we should be okay to get married in a Catholic Church?

Octavius I will take your advice and will have a conversation with the priest as well.

thanks again

Clive

[Nannyjillx2]

Be very interested to hear what the priest says as I don't think the catholic church can annul a marriage that hasn't taken place in a catholic church or am I reading your post incorrctly?